The document is a transcript of a Woodbury City Council meeting, focusing primarily on water quality issues, infrastructure challenges, city audit delays, and community concerns about governance and transparency. Here’s a summary broken down by topic:
🔷 Water Quality and Infrastructure Issues
- The city is facing severe algae blooms, causing yellow water and a strong chemical taste.
- Sand filters at the water plant are insufficient, and long water retention due to low usage exacerbates taste and odor issues.
- Fire hydrant flushing is being done to improve water quality.
- Residents are encouraged to report locations with dirty water so flushing can be prioritized.
- An old lift station motor on J Street failed, likely due to excessive trash and sand in the system.
- Estimate for replacement is around $10,000–$25,000.
- A back truck is needed to clean out the station, which hasn’t been cleaned since installation.
🔷 Audit and Financial Concerns
- The city is behind on audits for 2021 through 2024, primarily due to missing financial documents and corrupt software from the prior administration.
- Two firms are working on the audits: Mauldin Jenkins (external) and CKH (internal).
- There is no regular financial reporting at council meetings, raising concerns about transparency.
- A citizen suggested monthly financial reports showing revenues and expenditures per fund, which officials agreed could be done moving forward.
🔷 Website and Public Information Transparency
- The city’s website is outdated, with some sections not updated since 2012.
- Citizens raised concerns about lack of public access to minutes, reports, and ordinances.
- The council acknowledged the need for better updates but provided no specific timeline.
🔷 Police Chief Hiring Controversy
- Former interim Chief Jackson was not retained; Chief Shaw was hired instead.
- Many citizens expressed dissatisfaction, citing lack of transparency and strong community support for Jackson.
- Some council members refused to explain their decisions, labeling it a personnel issue.
- Accusations were made that council members may have had conflicts of interest and should have recused themselves.
- Chief Shaw addressed the public, saying he had no prior relationships with anyone in the city.
🔷 Community Events and Volunteer Needs
- The Events Committee is under-resourced, with only four active volunteers.
- Plans are in place for a “Splash Day” and a possible volleyball tournament, but participation and funding are limited.
- The committee is seeking younger volunteers and event sponsors.
🔷 Calls for Improved Governance
- Citizens expressed frustration with the lack of accountability and internal disorganization.
- Concerns were raised about council behavior, civic representation, and respect for the public trust.
- A repeated theme was the demand for greater openness, clearer communication, and community involvement in decision-making.
This Summary was created using Artificial Intellegence after watching the video posted from Woodbury Georgia at https://www.facebook.com/61551896607781/videos/1241652570839665 . So check video for any mistakes in translation.